Bobby Holland Hanton – The Stuntman

August 30, 2012

Bobby Holland Hanton is Hollywood’s go-to stunt double for leading men like Christian Bale (in The Dark Knight Rises), Daniel Craig (in Quantum of Solace and the upcoming Bond thriller, Skyfall), and he has performed in blockbuster movies like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sherlock Holmes, Captain America, Robin Hood, and the Oscar-winning Inception.

We caught up with him in between takes to get an insight into is crazy world.

Ape: So what’s it like to be a stuntman?

BHH: Each job is different. I can be leading a high-speed chase and flipping over cars for one film, but on another I can be suspended one hundred feet in the air while jumping across building rooftops. As you can probably imagine, it’s very physically demanding but I also get to travel to many amazing places all over the world – most recently, I’ve been to Turkey and to one of my favorite cities anywhere, Chicago.

Ape: What do you do to physically prepare for your jobs as a stunt man?

BHH: The roles are not only physically demanding but I also need to make sure my body type matches the actor I’m doubling, so I train continuously and maintain a strict diet. To do my job, I must stay sharp in a number of athletic genres including gymnastics, swimming, scuba diving, and high-speed driving, to name a few, so these workouts keeps me active. As for my diet, I eat small quantities of food about every two hours, mostly made of meals I prepare that include lean proteins like chicken breast, greens, and healthy fats like avocado.

Ape: What kind of workouts do you do to sustain your demanding career?

BHH: I’m a huge fan of high impact workouts, which I tend to get from sports, especially though swimming and tennis. Take swimming, for example – I usually go hard and fast in a short period of time, rather than swimming many laps at a slower pace.

Ape: What are your best grooming tips?

BHH: Since I work long days and work up quite a sweat, skin care is vital. I’m a big fan of the Dove Men+Care line and I start every morning with a shower to jumpstart the day. After showering, I use lotion to moisturise my face and body, which keeps my skin looking healthy, and I use an anti-perspirant for protection against sweat and unpleasant odour during long days on set.